The Los Angeles Lakers finished the 2025-26 season as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference after beating the Utah Jazz and will take on the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. They finish the regular season with a 53-29 record.
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
Los Angeles’ playoff seeding was tied to their result against Utah as well as the outcome between the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. Because Denver beat San Antonio, the Lakers remained in the fourth seed and drew Houston to open the postseason. Had the Nuggets lost, the Lakers would have moved into the third seed due to the tiebreaker and played the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round instead.
Los Angeles won the regular season matchup against Houston two-to-one with both victories coming after the All-Star break. The Rockets embarrassed the Lakers in their first meeting on Christmas Day as they blew them out by 23 points.
With Los Angeles without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for the foreseeable future, they are understandably considered the underdogs against a Houston team that started to find its stride toward the end of the regular season. Doncic was the difference-maker in both wins against the Rockets, so without him James and company will need to step up in his absence.
Houston thrives in slower, more physical games so Los Angeles has its work cut out for themselves. Outside of Doncic and Reaves, the rest of the roster is projected to be available and should be able to at least hold their own. Winning the series is an open question mark, but the group has shown the past week that there’s still a belief they can win.
One interesting subplot to the series will be Kevin Durant and James going head-to-head in a playoff series. The two haven’t seen each other in the playoffs since 2018, so that will be a treat for basketball fans.
Lakers-Rockets Game 1 schedule & TV info
Game 1 between the Lakers and Rockets is scheduled for Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. PT on ABC.
Marcus Smart excited about challenges ahead for Lakers in postseason
Marcus Smart’s return at the end of the regular season was a much-needed boost after losing Doncic and Reaves. Smart’s been a steadying presence for the Lakers throughout the year and the team needs him more than ever as they head into the playoffs without two of their stars.
Most people outside the organization are counting Los Angeles out, but Smart said he’s actually excited about the challenges that lie ahead for the Lakers in the postseason because they’ll need to overcome them together as a team.
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